JP2007240079A - Cooling storage cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform an operation of a cooling storage cabinet at low running costs, when electric power charge is varied according to time zones. <P>SOLUTION: This cooling storage cabinet selectively performs at least three operation modes of a cooling operation for cooling the inside 2 by a cooler 16, a defrosting operation for defrosting the cooler, and operation stop. The cooling storage comprises a clock 39 for measuring a present time, and a defrosting power consumption priority period for performing the defrosting operation with priority is set by clock time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling storage that selectively performs at least three operation modes of cooling operation for cooling the inside of a refrigerator with a cooler, defrosting operation for defrosting the frost of the cooler, and operation stop.

  In a cooling storage such as a household refrigerator, frost adheres to the cooler during the cooling operation, and cooling efficiency decreases. And in order to remove the frost of this cooler, the defrost operation which heats a cooler with a defrost heater is performed suitably. This defrosting operation is generally performed when the integrated value of the cooling operation reaches a threshold value in a conventional cooling storage (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Therefore, it is uncertain when the defrosting operation is performed within one day.

By the way, the power consumption of the cooling storage is maximized when the defrosting heater is operated and when cooling before and after. If the time of defrosting with a large amount of power consumption is uncertain, a night-time electricity rate that sets a night-time electricity rate that reduces the night-time usage fee (for example, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. has a night-time fee from 23 pm to 7 am However, in households that have contracts with electric power companies, the electricity bill may increase depending on the usage conditions of the cooling storage.
JP 2000-88439 A

  The problem to be solved is that when the electricity rate varies depending on the time zone, the cooling storage is not operated so as to be performed at a low running cost.

  The cooling storage of the present invention selectively selects at least three operation modes: a cooling operation for cooling the interior (2) with the cooler (16), a defrosting operation for defrosting the frost in the cooler, and an operation stop. Is going. And this cooling storage is provided with the timepiece (39) which measures the present | current time, and the defrost electric power consumption priority period which preferentially performs a defrost operation is set by the time.

  Moreover, there may be a defrosting operation stop period in which the defrosting operation is not performed before the defrosting power consumption priority period.

  Furthermore, there may be a defrosting operation execution point for executing the defrosting operation at the end of the defrosting power consumption priority period.

  And while performing a cooling operation before a defrost operation, the cooling operation before this defrost operation may also be preferentially performed in the said defrost power consumption priority period.

The timepiece may be a radio wave type timepiece.
Furthermore, the defrosting operation may be performed by heating with the defrosting heater (19).

  According to the present invention, the defrosting power consumption priority period for preferentially performing the defrosting operation is set by time, so the current time is measured with a clock, and the defrosting operation is set to the defrosting power consumption priority period as much as possible. It can be carried out. As a result, the running cost of the operation of the cooling storage can be reduced.

  In addition, by providing a defrosting operation stop period in which the defrosting operation is not performed before the defrosting power consumption priority period, it is possible to make the defrosting operation stand by and shift to the defrosting power consumption priority period. .

  Further, by providing a defrosting operation execution point for executing the defrosting operation at the end of the defrosting power consumption priority period, the defrosting operation is performed immediately after the end of the defrosting power consumption priority period. It can be prevented as much as possible.

  The cooling operation before the defrosting operation is also preferentially performed during the defrosting power consumption priority period, whereby the running cost of the cooling storage can be more efficiently reduced.

  In addition, since the watch is a radio-controlled watch, there is no need to set the current time manually, making it easier to set the time when installing the cooling storage, and generating time shifts (ie, delays and advancements). Can be prevented.

  In order to ensure that the operation of the cooling storage is performed at a low running cost when the power rate varies depending on the time zone, a clock that measures the current time is provided, and the defrosting operation is prioritized. Realized by setting the frost power consumption priority period in time.

  Next, an embodiment of the cooling storage according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a cooling storage according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an input / output diagram of the control device. FIG. 3 is a time chart of the operation period set in the cooling storage. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the defrosting operation. In FIG. 2, only main components related to the defrosting operation are described, and other components not shown are also connected to the control device.

First, the overall configuration of the cooling storage will be described.
In FIG. 1, the main body of the refrigerator-freezer which is a cooling storage is comprised with the heat insulation box 1 which the front surface opened. The internal space of the heat insulation box 1, that is, the interior 2, is divided into three spaces by two substantially horizontal heat insulation partition walls 3, 4, the upper space is the refrigerator compartment 6, and the central space is the freezer compartment 7. In addition, the lower space is a vegetable room 8. And the front opening of the refrigerator compartment 6, the freezer compartment 7, and the vegetable compartment 8 is obstruct | occluded by the heat insulation door 11 so that opening and closing is possible.

  The cooler 16 and the cooler blower 17 are disposed in the ventilation duct 18. When the cooler blower 17 is operated, the air cooled by the cooler 16 is supplied from the discharge port of the ventilation duct 18 to the interior 2 and the air in the interior 2 is supplied from the return port of the ventilation duct 18 to the ventilation duct. Returning to 18, the air in the cabinet 2 is cooled by the cooler 16 while circulating. A defrost heater 19 is provided below the cooler 16.

  Further, a machine room 21 is formed below the rear portion of the heat insulating box 1, and a compressor 22 and the like are disposed in the machine room 21. The compressor 22 constitutes a refrigeration cycle together with the above-described cooler 16 and a condenser (not shown). When the compressor 22 operates, the refrigerant circulates in the refrigeration cycle, and the temperature of the cooler 16 decreases.

  In FIG. 2, the cooling storage is provided with a control device 31 for controlling equipment such as the refrigeration apparatus 23 and the defrosting heater 19 configured by the cooler blower 17 and the compressor 22. The control device 31 is configured by a microcomputer or the like, and inputs signals from the internal temperature sensor 36, a setting device 37 such as a setting button, and the like, particularly regarding the cooling operation and the defrosting operation. In addition, a drive signal is output from the control device 31 to the refrigeration apparatus 23, the defrost heater 19, and the like. Various setting values are stored in a storage unit (EPROM, RAM, etc.) of the control device 31, and a timepiece 39 such as a radio wave type timepiece capable of measuring time is incorporated.

  Regarding the defrosting operation of the cooling storage of this embodiment, the setting value set in the storage unit of the control device 31 by the setting device 37 or the like includes the defrosting power consumption priority period, the removal time shown in the time chart of FIG. There are frost operation stop periods and defrost operation execution judgment points. The defrosting power consumption priority period is, for example, a night charge period with a low power charge (in the case of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., 11:00 pm to 7:00 am, which is the time zone of the night power charge), and the start time and end time The time is set. The defrosting operation stop period is a period during which the defrosting operation is not performed, and is provided in front of the defrosting power consumption priority period. The defrosting operation execution determination point as the defrosting operation execution point is provided at the end side of the defrosting power consumption priority period.

Next, the flow of the cooling operation and the defrosting operation will be described based on the time chart of FIG. 3 and the flowchart of FIG.
The control device 31 performs the cooling operation by operating the refrigeration apparatus 23 so that the inside temperature detected by the inside temperature sensor 36 becomes the set temperature. And the control apparatus 31 integrates the operating time of cooling operation, and when this integrated value reaches the defrost setting value, it determines that it is a defrost operation time.

  In step 1, the control device 31 determines whether or not it is the defrosting operation time, and goes to step 2 if it is the defrosting operation time, and goes to step 4 if it is not the defrosting operation time.

  In step 2, the control device 31 determines whether or not it is the defrosting operation stop period shown in FIG. 3, and in the case of the defrosting operation stop period, the control device 31 does not perform the defrosting operation, and the refrigeration device 23 (the compressor 22 or the The cooler blower 17 and the like are stopped, and the process returns to step 1. On the other hand, if it is outside the defrosting operation stop period, go to step 3.

  In Step 3, the control device 31 operates the defrost heater 19 to perform the defrosting operation. Before this defrosting operation, the control device 31 operates the refrigeration device 23 to perform the cooling operation. Next, the defrosting operation is performed, and after the defrosting operation is completed, the control device 31 resets the integrated value of the operating time of the cooling operation to 0 and performs the cooling operation again. And it returns to step 1.

  As described above, if it is not the defrosting operation time in Step 1, the process goes to Step 4. In Step 4, the control device 31 determines whether or not the defrosting operation execution determination point shown in FIG. To do. If it is not the defrosting operation execution determination point, the process returns to step 1. On the other hand, in the case of the defrosting operation execution determination point, go to Step 5.

  In step 5, the control device 31 determines whether or not it is the early defrosting operation timing. That is, the control device 31 determines whether or not the integrated value of the operating time of the cooling operation has reached the early defrost setting value (a value smaller than the aforementioned defrost setting value). Return to step 1. On the other hand, if it has reached, it is determined that it is the early defrosting operation time and the routine goes to Step 6.

  In step 6, the control device 31 performs a defrosting operation. Before and after the defrosting operation, the cooling operation is performed in the same manner as the defrosting operation in Step 3. Further, the control device 31 resets the integrated value of the operating time of the cooling operation to zero. And it returns to step 1.

  Thus, in this embodiment, in order to perform the defrosting operation in the defrosting power consumption priority period as much as possible, the defrosting operation is waited as much as possible before the defrosting power consumption priority period, and the defrosting operation is performed. The defrosting operation is performed after the power consumption priority period starts. During this standby, the refrigeration apparatus 23 (that is, the cooler blower 17 and the compressor 22) is stopped so that frost adhesion on the cooler 16 does not increase.

  In addition, the defrosting operation is performed immediately before the defrosting power consumption priority period ends, and the defrosting operation is performed as soon as possible after the defrosting power consumption priority period ends.

  In this way, the control device as the control means includes 1) means for not performing the defrosting operation during the defrosting operation stop period, and 2) means for performing the early defrosting operation at the defrosting operation execution determination point. ing.

  In addition to the above means, the control means includes means for executing each process corresponding to each process to be executed. Further, it is not always necessary to have all the above means.

As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to the said Example, A various change is performed within the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim. It is possible. Examples of modifications of the present invention are illustrated below.
(1) If the defrosting power consumption priority period is set by time, it is not limited to the time zone of the nighttime electricity rate, and can be selected as appropriate.
(2) It is not always necessary to perform the cooling operation before and after the defrosting operation. However, when performing the cooling operation before and after the defrosting operation, it is preferable to perform the cooling operation including the cooling operation within the defrosting power consumption priority period.

(3) The order of the steps in each flowchart can be changed as appropriate.
(4) The control means is composed of a microcomputer, but other configurations are possible.

(5) If the timepiece can measure the current time, the timepiece is not limited to the radio wave type timepiece but can be of other types (for example, a crystal oscillator type). However, a radio wave type clock or a crystal oscillator type is preferable.
(6) In the above-described embodiment, it is determined whether or not the defrosting operation is performed at the defrosting operation execution determination point. However, it is not always necessary to determine, and the defrosting operation can always be performed. That is, the defrosting operation may be appropriately performed at the defrosting operation execution determination point as the defrosting operation execution point.

(7) If the defrost heater 19 can defrost the cooler 16, its form and structure can be changed as appropriate.
(8) In the above embodiment, the control device 31 integrates the operating time of the cooling operation, and when the integrated value reaches the set value for defrosting, it is determined as the defrosting operation time. It is also possible to determine the defrosting operation timing with an element other than the integrated value (for example, according to data indicating the operation status of the cooling storage). That is, it is possible to determine the defrosting operation timing when the data indicating the operation status of the cooling storage reaches a set value.

  By performing the defrosting operation as much as possible during the defrosting power consumption priority period, the running cost of the operation of the cooling storage can be reduced. Therefore, it is optimal to apply to a cooling storage for selectively performing at least three operation modes of cooling operation for cooling the interior with a cooler, defrosting operation for defrosting the cooler frost, and operation stop. .

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a cooling storage according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an input / output diagram of the control device. FIG. 3 is a time chart of the operation period set in the cooling storage. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the defrosting operation.

Explanation of symbols

2 Inside 16 Cooler 19 Defrost heater 39 Clock

Claims (6)

In a cooling storage that selectively performs at least three operation modes of cooling operation for cooling the interior with a cooler, defrosting operation for defrosting the frost of the cooler, and operation stop,
With a clock that measures the current time,
A cooling depot characterized in that a defrosting power consumption priority period for preferentially performing the defrosting operation is set by time. The cooling storage according to claim 1, wherein there is a defrosting operation stop period in which the defrosting operation is not performed before the defrosting power consumption priority period. The cooling storage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a defrosting operation execution point for executing a defrosting operation is provided at a portion on the end side of the defrosting power consumption priority period. While performing the cooling operation before the defrosting operation,
The cooling storage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooling operation before the defrosting operation is also preferentially performed during the defrosting power consumption priority period. The cooling storage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the timepiece is a radio wave type timepiece. The cooling storage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the defrosting operation is performed by heating with a defrosting heater.

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